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(Gilbert Watch welcomes this guest letter by Jared Taylor, who is currently serving as the Vice Mayor in Gilbert. He has lived in Gilbert since 1996 with his wife and three daughters.)

Over the last few years, Gilbert has been showered in recognitions. I’m running for re-election to build on our strengths, address our challenges, and keep Gilbert the best place to grow a family and build a business.

As you complete your Primary ballot, please consider the following candidates for offices all the way from United States Senate to Town Council. Time hasn't allowed for the vetting of every office throughout the state. The suggestions you see here are based on voting patterns, leadership, and commitment to constitutional, conservative ideals.

On August 9, 2016, the Gilbert Town Council voted to increase taxes this year by $1.5 million dollars. It seems that, since former Mayor John Lewis and Council Members Eddie Cook, Jenn Daniels, and Jordan Ray earned a "Hero of Big Government" ranking from Americans for Prosperity in 2015, the trend continues. Council members are spinning and denying it's a tax increase!

According to Mayor Jenn Daniels: "In light of the incredible misinformation that is being disseminated on Facebook and other forums, I would like to set the record straight: YOUR TAXES DID NOT GO UP by our vote last night or any other vote by our current Town Council."

"In a split vote, the Town of Gilbert elected to raise its secondary property tax for FY17 from a rate of $1.0567 to $1.0609. This results in a tax levy increase of approximately $1.5 million. Surprisingly, some council members attempted to argue the tax rate and levy increase wasn't a tax increase at all. For town leaders to suggest this is not a tax increase is simple obfuscation.

"In actuality, the rate should have decreased substantially this year if they accounted for what property taxpayers have already paid. For cities and towns, the secondary property tax is used exclusively for the repayment of voter-approved bonds. The estimated debt service schedule in this year is $22.7 million. The town has previously over-collected nearly $15 million for this purpose. This money is not a rainy day fund and cannot be used for any other purpose. The town voted to use just 12% of this overpayment account ($1.7 million) to pay for debt service in FY17. It is regrettable the town elected to increase taxes while it earns interest on past over-collections which sit in the bank. Taxpayers must pay the debt-service on bonds, but they first ought to be credited for what they have already paid. At a minimum, Gilbert owes a specific plan to its taxpayers to credit them back for what they have previously overpaid. There is no financial justification to stockpile a massive sum as taxpayers are constitutionally obliged to repay the debt service on voter-approved debt each year via the property tax, making it an incredibly reliable and secure debt-instrument."

Town of Gilbert website: "Proposed New and Increased Taxes or Fees"

The tax hike passed 4-2. Here is the vote:

If you haven't been introduced to GilbertPolitics.com, I urge you to get acquainted. This blog is published and thoughtfully written by concerned citizen and constitutional conservative Travis Dutson. He unapologetically states, "Yes, I'm opinionated." Please take advantage of his carefully studied, respectful opinions. In his most recent post titled Voting - Heads or Tails, Mr. Dutson provides insight into why he has chosen to support certain candidates, including those running for U.S. Senate, Congressional CD5, LD12 Arizona Senate and House, and Gilbert Town Council.

We enjoy our liberties because of people like Travis Dutson who fights to protect them! As you read his article, be sure to click on the link and read the Comments, which are equally enlightening. Enjoy!

Gilbert citizen Gary Livacari has been watching the Gilbert Town Council for some time and has written a great article which was recently published in both the Arizona Coalition of Conservative Voters titled Are Times Changing in Gilbert? as well as in AZ Central's My Turn, titled Gilbert must limit government.

It seems that, since earning a "Hero of Big Government" ranking from Americans for Prosperity in 2015, Mayor John Lewis and Council Members Eddie Cook, Jenn Daniels, and Jordan Ray continue expanding government. Follows is a chart which depicts the upward budget climb since 2014. It has nearly doubled from $447 Million to $850 Million.

The Town of Gilbert is getting ready to raise our taxes and expand the size of government at the next council meeting! Our taxes were already raised considerably by the school districts override and bonds. We don't need another tax increase!

After reading through the 2,983 page agenda packet, I noticed there are 10 agenda items this Thursday, June 23, that are jam packed full of budget increases, expansion of government and a tax rate increase. What happened to our "conservative" elected officials? Join me in watching, either in person or live online, who votes for these items. (Items # 4, 9a, 14, 20, 21, 25, 26, 31, 32 & 33). Click HERE to watch the meeting live.

It is concerning that the Town of Gilbert wants to get into a public/private partnership to offer healthcare. The proposal before the town council clearly states that one of the private agencies would “act as the lead agency and the Town’s management organization for daily operations for the facility.” The organizational chart has the Town of Gilbert at the top with all the private entities underneath. This isn’t just a matter of the town paying for the building and letting other private entities use it, it is actually a partnership.

Mayor Lewis invites you to attend a Community Patriotic Music Program in celebration of Independence Day. This musical program will be presented on Sunday, June 28, at the Mission Community Church located at 4450 East Elliot Road in Gilbert.

In a previous post, I noted that 5 of 7 Gilbert Council members earned themselves the rank of Heroes of Big Government by AFP-Arizona. Thursday night, they plan to reduce your individual liberty and prosperity even more by: 1) Confiscating more of your family's resources by raising your Secondary Property tax rate; and 2) Using tax dollars to join a "collective" effort to build the Gilbert Wellness & Resource Center, which will offer free and reduced services.

These 5 Council members will make it all sound very reasonable and "charitable." It would be, if they were using their own money, or if they encouraged you to give from your personal resources. But their idea of charity is stealing from you and giving it to someone else.